KL congestion charge is a good solution to reduce traffic, but needs to be studied, scientists say
Unless you haven’t driven in the past few weeks, you’re sure to notice an increasing level of traffic congestion in the Klang Valley, with traffic reportedly doubling from what it was before. pandemic in 2019. The result of more people returning to work.
Much has been said about the problem of congestion which is becoming more and more pronounced and frequent – politicians have dominated, as expected. Former Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government needs to solve the problem immediatelywhile his DAP colleague Liew Chin Tong said driving a personal car here should be treated as a luxury and unnecessary and the way forward is to expand the coverage of public transport.
There’s nothing wrong with comments, but offer solutions to reduce the problem is essential. One of the proposed directions in the approach to combating traffic congestion is to apply a fee for vehicles entering the city, the idea is to reduce volume.
Congestion fees for vehicles entering the city center are not a new concept, having already been implemented in cities such as London, Singapore, Stockholm and Milan. The idea has been reviewed beforewith the latest information coming from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, who said that the government is considering Fees apply to vehicles entering the city after MRT 3 Detour The project will be completed by 2030.
The introduction of a congestion charge is something experts agree on, as it is considered one of the best ways to reduce traffic congestion, especially in the federal capital. However, it alone will not provide a solution and alternative modes of transport will have to be developed with this approach. Community awareness on this issue is also paramount, as Bernama report.
Associate professor, Dr Harlina Suzana Jaafar, Director of the Malaysian Institute of Transport (MITRANDS) of the University of Teknologi Mara, said that although it is more comfortable for individuals to drive their own cars, society must be aware of it. that the main cause of traffic congestion is the high numbers. of private vehicles on the road.
She said measures such as widening roads would only have limited effect in dealing with traffic congestion as it would only contribute to an increase in the number of private vehicles on the road and make the situation worse. She recommends building a low-carbon zone and providing appropriate infrastructure in the city or housing areas for safe walking and biking for pedestrians, scooters and cyclists. whole.
“Improvements are needed for a balanced use of all modes of transport,” she explains. “Although many people consider it unsuitable for deployment in our country due to the hot weather, with creativity we can create a suitable and comfortable (pedestrian) infrastructure. , scooters and bicycles),” she added.
Her views were echoed by senior lecturer in Surveying and Built Environment at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Dr Safizahanin Mokhtar, who said it was necessary to conduct a comprehensive study and undertake a project. pilot on the application of congestion charge in the country.
“For example, in implementing congestion charging in London, it took 10 years of detailed research, including the movement of users from certain locations to other locations in some cases,” she explains. selected area before the pilot project was launched.
Meanwhile, the situation is unlikely to improve. Safizahanin said that based on the 2018 Road Traffic Traffic Malaysia (RTVM) report prepared by the Ministry of Works, the quality of main roads in the federal capital lies between D (average) and F (failure). ) due to the high number of vehicles, which also leads to severe traffic congestion.
